I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm an introvert and a homebody. Friday night to Sunday is this precious pause of time and space; I get to catch up with a close friend or two and cuddle with my dog, Quentin, who spends most of her days alone while I'm at work. The weekend is a gift we don't take lightly.

But it's a cycle: Sunday afternoon hits, and you start thinking about all the fun things you didn't get to this weekend. Then Sunday evening rolls around, and that Monday-morning meeting looms just a little larger with every passing hour. Before you know it, the weekend is gone ... forever. It's the "Sunday Scaries," as some people like to call that sudden surge of dread (and by "some people," yes, I mean me).

In times like these, I like to turn, of course, to the kitchen. It helps to have a couple of simple, reliable dinners on hand — a Tupperware of warm and cozy stew, some crispy chicken thighs with white rice, or a plate of creamy risotto with shrimp, maybe. Protein and carbs, essentially, to ensure that you're fully fueled for the week ahead.

Certain recipes can become ritual in and of themselves. This time of year, and especially on Sundays, I love making my chicken thighs with Magic Spice Blend. I bake off a whole sheet pan of them, have a couple for dinner, and find joy in knowing that I have food to pack for lunch throughout the workweek. And there's immense comfort not just in the eating, but in the cooking as well.

This kind of cooking is, for me, a reliable way to give the weekend a proper send-off and ease into the week ahead. I appreciate the calmness of chopping vegetables and stirring them into butter, standing by the stove with a good book, waiting for a crust to bake or a stew to thicken. Quiet activities that force me to spend time in the kitchen, where I'm most myself.

For this and more, I've gathered 10 dinner menu ideas that are at once warm, soul-satisfying, and relaxing to cook. Dishes that I love eating, on Sunday and every day.